Today I was the lucky recipient of a 800+ phone bill. While I do have three lines with unlimted data and some extra features on my lines, I have never actually reached this level before. Let's go back a ways, I have a bit of a story.

Early December, I decided to buy myself a little christmas present, a Droid Razr. The phone was promptly shipped to my house and I was very pleased with the device. Within a few days of getting the phone, I ordered some accessories from online as well. These shipped 2 day also. The Galaxy Nexus came out later that month and I kept my eyes and ears open because VZW had extended their return period until mid January. Well, as luck would have it, I had a small accident with the RAZR and broke it. Luckily, I could easily have it replaced using my insurance. Within a day or so of receiving my replacement RAZR, I decided to exchange it at Verizon for a Nexus. I promptly returned the broken RAZR after receipt of the new one.

Mid January had passed and although very pleased with my Nexus, I had a unique problem and tech support warranted an exchange for another Nexus. I was sent a new Nexus via overnight and the next day, I also recieved an extended battery that I had ordered as well. A day following that, another extended battery was shipped to my house by accident. I decided to sell it to a buddy in lieu of returning it. (Yes I was billed twice. It wasn't free.)

Now, you may be wondering, why is this guy telling me about all of this, get to the point. Here it is folks. After sending my Nexus back into Verizon somewhere around the end of January, I have just now been billed for not returning the device. I called up this afternoon to discuss the matter but the woman I spoke to said she needed to fill out a resolution form or something but her computer was not working. She promised that she would call me in a couple hours but never did. I then called back and was greeted by someone that truely had no idea what she was talking about. First, she claimed the charge was because I never returned my RAZR. I was dumbfounded. I asked her, are you sure? She was fairly confident. I ensured her that the device was indeed returned. She told me that the return label sent with the device had not been used. I told her that due to the many shipments I recieved from Verizon, it was quite possible that I mixed them up. I remember shuffling them but they all had the same address so I figured it wouldn't matter. She infomed me that the only way for the system to know that I returned the device was via the tracking number. I said, ok, but if it was mixed up, can't you check to see if the device was actually logged into a system when it was removed from the box. She replied, "Mr. Kaiser, when the package arrives, they scan it into the system. The system then generates a credit to your account. We have to have the tracking number to know if the phone arrived."

What?!? "So I could have just shipped my TV remote back to you and you would have credited me for a phone because it is all about the tracking label?" It was at this moment that an angel got her wish and a light went off in this woman's head. "Ohhhh," she replied. "I see what you're saying. You mean you want us to check to see if the item was scanned in, not the shipping label." 45 minutes later and a headache, "YES! That is exactly what I have been saying!" "I can't do that, but technical support might be able to, let me put you on hold."

Following a brief hold, I was finally talking to a person with some type of competence. He verified that is was indeed a Nexus, not a RAZR, that they are looking for. He explained their idiotic system in their shipping department and it was very simmilar to what the woman I earlier spoke to had described. He then also asked if I knew the tracking number and I told him I wasn't sure. I had so many of them and threw some away even. He then traced down the meid of the device I previously had and submitted a case to their shipping department to find the device.

In the meantime, I have an $800+ phone bill that I will not be paying. I will pay my regular amount until this gets setteled. They told me I should just pay it and they will credit it to me when this is all resolved. I respectfull declined. If they happen to shut me off, I will consider it a breach of contract and never pay them anything ever again. At this point, I would absolutely love an excuse to leave.

To think, they sold me a faulty device and that was pretty irritating to begin with, now I am in the middle of this mess because of that single event. I am sure they will never find my device and this will be drawn out until the end of time.

The moral of the story? Keep track of your shipping labels, don't use the USPA option, go to a FedEx Kinkos and get a receipt. My nightmare would be over if I had done this.

I kept my eyes and ears open because VZW had extended their return period until mid January. Well, as luck would have it, I had a small accident with the RAZR and broke it. Luckily, I could easily have it replaced using my insurance. Within a day or so of receiving my replacement RAZR, I decided to exchange it at Verizon for a Nexus.

this is where i stopped reading.. vzw lets you replace your brand new phone under the WFG for another brand new phone.

not an insurance refurb..that should have been clarified when you called in to get the nexus though

I kept my eyes and ears open because VZW had extended their return period until mid January. Well, as luck would have it, I had a small accident with the RAZR and broke it. Luckily, I could easily have it replaced using my insurance. Within a day or so of receiving my replacement RAZR, I decided to exchange it at Verizon for a Nexus.

this is where i stopped reading.. vzw lets you replace your brand new phone under the WFG for another brand new phone.

not an insurance refurb..that should have been clarified when you called in to get the nexus though

Nope He broke the Razr on his own. WFG only works if the device was defective or he simply didn't like it. Since he broke it that no longer applies to him.

In the meantime, I have an $800+ phone bill that I will not be paying. I will pay my regular amount until this gets setteled. They told me I should just pay it and they will credit it to me when this is all resolved. I respectfull declined. If they happen to shut me off, I will consider it a breach of contract and never pay them anything ever again. At this point, I would absolutely love an excuse to leave.

You are 100% correct, it IS a breach of contract. Problem is that YOU will have been the one to breach it.

From your customer agreement: "If you're a Postpay customer, you can dispute your bill within 180 days of receiving it, but unless otherwise provided by law or unless you're disputing charges because your wireless device was lost or stolen, you still have to pay all charges until the dispute is resolved."

So, if you do not pay your bill while disputing this charge, you are correct in saying there is a breach of contract!!!

I think the fact that the wireless device was lost (by Verizon) and he is disputing the charge steaming from said lost wireless device he could have a case NOT to that portion of the cost until the dispute is resolved.

I think the fact that the wireless device was lost (by Verizon) and he is disputing the charge steaming from said lost wireless device he could have a case NOT to that portion of the cost until the dispute is resolved.

What case? If you do not pay your bill, even when something is in dispute, you would be in breach of contract.

It seems to me you are saying you should have to pay your bill when something is in dispute UNLESS it is for something you should "not have been charged?" It seems to me this is the ONLY time I dispute my bill, so I should NEVER have to live up to this term of the contract? Maybe from now on, I will just pick and choose which parts of the contract I want to follow. Hopefully, Verizon will not start doing the same!

Maybe from now on, I will just pick and choose which parts of the contract I want to follow. Hopefully, Verizon will not start doing the same!

A little off the subject but in reference to your comment about hoping Verizon doesn't start picking and choosing which parts of a contract to follow, what about people who pay for unlimited data on 3g network? Verizon toggles data speeds (Data Optimization), isn't that an instance of picking and choosing which contractual obligations to abide by?